diff --git a/mypy/main.py b/mypy/main.py
index 6ebf32ded6e1..96c845435a8e 100644
--- a/mypy/main.py
+++ b/mypy/main.py
@@ -991,8 +991,9 @@ def add_invertible_flag(
         group=error_group,
     )
     add_invertible_flag(
-        "--pretty",
-        default=False,
+        "--no-pretty",
+        dest="pretty",
+        default=True,
         help="Use visually nicer output in error messages:"
         " Use soft word wrap, show source code snippets,"
         " and show error location markers",
diff --git a/mypy/options.py b/mypy/options.py
index 52afd27211ed..57a424f73888 100644
--- a/mypy/options.py
+++ b/mypy/options.py
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
         self.hide_error_codes = False
         self.show_error_code_links = False
         # Use soft word wrap and show trimmed source snippets with error location markers.
-        self.pretty = False
+        self.pretty = True
         self.dump_graph = False
         self.dump_deps = False
         self.logical_deps = False